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Home My WebLink About2019 11-25 CCM Study SessionMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION NOVEMBER 25, 2019 CITY HALL — COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Study Session called to order by Mayor Mike Elliott at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Mike Elliott and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, April Graves, Kris Lawrence - Anderson, and Dan Ryan. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards, Interim Finance Director Andy Splinter, Community Development Director Meg Beekman, Police Chief Tim Gannon, City Attorney Troy Gilchrist, and City Clerk Barb Suciu. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS AND QUESTIONS Councilmember Graves stated she would be leaving the meeting around 6:40 p.m. to attend her daughter's play, but she would be back after the play is over. Councilmember Graves stated she would like to pull Consent Agenda Item 6b related to the municipal liquor stores' tobacco licenses. She added the City Council had agreed to discuss this further to decide whether to discontinue the sale of tobacco at the City's liquor stores. She noted a presentation was given by two residents at the City Council's last meeting requesting consideration of this request. Councilmember Graves stated she is concerned that City bus service in Brooklyn Center will be reduced due to the Highway 252 reconstruction. Councilmember Ryan stated the Metro Transit Commission (MTC) has indicated that recommendations will be presented at the February 21, 2019, Highway 252 meeting. Councilmember Ryan stated Agenda Item 7a would be a presentation by Tara and Brendan McCarthy regarding the Highway 252 project. He added the City Council could give their presentation the attention it deserves, but no action is required on this issue. He noted it is a complex issue, and the City Council has received varying levels of information. Councilmember Butler stated it takes a lot of courage for residents to come forward with a presentation to the City Council, and this issue will have significant impact on the community. 11/25/19 -1- She stressed the importance of encouraging residents to feel welcome at City Council meetings to express their opinions and provide feedback and comments. Mr. Boganey stated some of the McCarthy's questions and requests for information might require some additional research, but City Staff will provide answers if possible. Mayor Elliott stated he agrees with Councilmember Graves' suggestion that the municipal liquor stores' tobacco licenses should be reviewed. Councilmember Ryan expressed his agreement but added he would like to receive additional information from City Staff. Mr. Boganey stated, as referenced in his weekly email update, less than %2% of total revenue from Liquor Operations is a result of tobacco sales or $6,000 annually. He noted the City Council could vote to revoke the municipal liquor stores' tobacco sales licenses as a policy statement, and it would have very limited effect on the Liquor Operations Fund. Mr. Boganey stated the City Council could discuss this issue as a Miscellaneous Study Session Agenda Item. He added the liquor licenses that would be approved on tonight's agenda would be nullified if the City Council votes to revolve the licenses. He noted there is about one month's supply of tobacco products to be sold, and sales could be terminated on January 1, 2020. It was the majority Consensus of the City Council to pull Municipal Liquor Stores' Tobacco Licenses from the Regular Session Consent Agenda and address it under Miscellaneous Items during the Study Session. MISCELLANEOUS Mr. Boganey requested the City Council's direction on tobacco sales at the municipal liquor stores. Mayor Elliott stated local cities, including most recently Robbinsdale, have made the decision not to sell tobacco products in their municipal liquor stores. He added Mr. Boganey indicated there would not be much of an effect on the Liquor Fund. Mr. Boganey agreed, adding termination of tobacco sales would send a powerful message to the community. He said this could be viewed as a public policy statement and an indication of the value the City of Brooklyn Center places on public health issues as it relates to public policy. Mr. Boganey agreed to have City Staff prepare a Resolution to be adopted by the City Council that would eliminate tobacco sales at the City's municipal liquor stores effective January 1, 2020. 11/25/19 -2- Mr. Boganey suggested the two young women who presented this request to the City Council at their last meeting could be invited to attend the December 2019 meeting at which this can be included as an agenda item. Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson stated recognition of some kind could be given to the young women, to let them know that they made a difference in public policy. Mayor Elliott stated the Resolution could include a reference to the young women and the fact that they presented their request to the City Council, and as a result a change was made in public policy. DIVERSITY INITIATIVE Mr. Boganey stated the City had participated in a diversity initiative since 2012 when a consultant was hired to review ways the City could be more inclusive as an organization. The process included interviews with City Councilmembers. City Staff would like to have the consultant present feedback to the City Council and City Staff, take a look at what changes have taken place, and put together a road map. Mr. Wells, the consultant, would like to talk to the City Council individually to get their perspective and include this information in his report. Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards stated the City Council could schedule 45 -minute intei views with Mr. Wells, either through an online scheduling tool or via email. Councilmember Graves suggested Cities United might be a useful resource for this work. She added she had found their technical assistance to be very valuable in her, work for the City of Minneapolis. Mr. Boganey agreed to look into it. WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEMS AS TIME PERMITS COUNCIL MEETING DISCUSSION Mr. Boganey stated Mayor Elliott had requested a review of the City Council meetings format to streamline meetings and reduce their length. He added Mayor Elliott expressed an interest in having more time to review the entire meeting packet and prepare for City Council meetings on Mondays. Mr. Boganey stated, after reviewing this issue with City Staff, the most efficient and least impactful action would be to change the City Council meeting date to Tuesdays, which would give an additional day of preparation time. He added, alternatively, packets could be sent out on Wednesday, which would give Councilmembers an extra day to review the packet. He noted this would have minimal effect on staff. He requested the City Council's feedback and comments. 11/25/19 -3- Mr. Boganey stated Mayor Elliott has also requested consideration of an additional meeting each month to address Work Session items separately rather than having the Work Session on the same night as the Regular Session, as the meetings have been going very late. Mayor Elliott stated the addition of 1 meeting would be helpful. He added Brooklyn Park has four meetings per month — two Work Sessions and two Regular Session meetings — and their meetings always end at a reasonable time. He noted there are several significant issues coming up that will require City Council review. Councilmember Graves stated she is not in favor of moving the meeting from Monday to Tuesday. She added she would be willing to consider having an additional day to review the packet, noting adding another meeting would be difficult as Councilmembers attend other City meetings and have other commitments. She expressed support of having the packet go out on Wednesday. Councilmember Graves left the meeting at 6:44 p.m. Councilmember Ryan stated he agrees that it is not necessary to move the meeting from Monday to Tuesday. He added City Staff does a great job of providing information and research, and an additional Work Session is not necessary. He noted he would support a review of how the Work Sessions are run. Councilmember Ryan stated he believes the Work Sessions are not conducted in an efficient manner. He added the City Council could review and discuss this issue at their next retreat, which will be held in January 2020. Mr. Boganey stated the City Council's first retreat in 2020 would be scheduled in early January. Councilmember Ryan stated he is okay with the packet being completed on Wednesday; he supports having the meeting remain on Mondays, and he is not in favor of adding additional Work Sessions. ADJOURN STUDY SESSION TO INFORMAL OPEN FORUM WITH CITY COUNCIL Mayor Elliott closed the Study Session at 6:45 p.m. 11/25/19 -4- STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Cleric of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Study Session of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on November 25, 2019. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its December 9, 2019, Regular Session. Barbara Suciu, City Cleric 11/25/19 -5- A� -- Mike Elliott, Mayor